THE POTENTIALS HAVE been maximized; proving that Senior High School (SHS) students are just too strong to contain by the SU Intramurals’ seven-time defending champion, College of Business Administration (CBA).
SHS bagged nine championships and a total of 415 points to clinch the general championship trophy on its second year of participation in the Intramurals.
The SHS ruled both the men and women’s competition in track events and football. They also dominated the women’s competition in volleyball, lawn tennis, and swimming; and the men’s competition in table tennis.
College of Engineering and Design (CED) tallied 385 points to finish second behind SHS in the general championship race.
CED was only trailing five points behind SHS before the Dance Sport competition last Saturday. However, the SHS grabbed the gold in the said category and expanded the lead to as much as 30 points.
CED did not get any place in Dance Sport contest. They, however, dominated the men’s volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis, swimming, and patintero competitions.
They also grabbed the gold medal in the first-ever Defense of the Ancients (DOTA) 2 tournament. But the results in DOTA 2 were not included in the computation of the general championship race.
Meanwhile, 2017 may not be a lucky year for CBA.
After losing the Miss Silliman crown for what would have been a 4-peat win this year, CBA failed to defend its 7-time overall champ title in the Intramurals this year.
CBA moved two notches lower from the championship rank, settling with the 3rd overall place, with only 255 points.
CBA, however, showed dominance in chess for both men and women, women’s basketball and men’s softball.
College of Education ranked fourth in the final championship race with 160 points.
SHS preparations
Before the university Intramurals, SHS staged their own sports fest called ‘Palakasan’ last Sept. 24 to “filter, train, and prepare” their athletes to compete later with the colleges.
SHS Governor Ayla Veremeika R. Gaudiel said the increased population of their department could have been a main factor in their win.
In last year’s intramurals, SHS placed third in the overall ranking because only one year level could play, Grade 11.
Aside from increased population, Gaudiel said their “strong support for each other” was key in winning the championship.
“We just had to make sure that our athletes, as well as the working committees, and even the spectators and students themselves, were given the support they needed whether before, during, or after their games,” she said.
Indomitable heart of a champion
CBA Dean Dr. Gloria G. Futalan said she respects the results of this year’s Intramurals, despite losing the title that CBA has held for seven straight years.
Futalan said the college has always aspired to be better and they already knew that other colleges may do better.
“… But we delight in the fact that we were able to show that the best athletes of this university comes from CBA,” she said.
“I’d like to thank my athletes, the coaches, the faculty & staff and other committees for doing their job well.” Futalan added.
After congratulating the SHS students, Futalan left them a challenge: “Try to keep the trophy for seven years just like CBA did.”
And to its former arch-rival, her message is: “Keep trying.”
SHS, not CBA, is the toughest competition
CED has held the second place for two years now.
CED Governor Jonathan James Credo said that they knew SHS, not CBA, would be their toughest competitors this year, and that CED’s loss may have been caused by its own complacency.
“We knew all along they [SHS] were our toughest competitor… We should have just prepared and trained better,” Credo said.
Moreover, despite the fact that they outranked CBA in the overall results, Credo still acknowledged CBA’s strength.
On Dean Futalan’s challenge to CED, Credo has this to say, “Trabaho napud sa council and athletes next year to try harder.”
